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debrockman, you might just need help we can’t give. You are deluded. Legitimately proud of your kid. But…seriously deluded about elite admissions.</p>
<p>Maybe because you can’t spell?</p>
<p>^that’s a low blow. I tend to proofread college essays much more carefully than an internet post…but clearly, that’s why I got deferred,…not because they have 8 Qualified applicants for every one spot</p>
<p>Sour Grapes Indeed!!!</p>
<p>deluded how? The fact that a kid with parents who are teachers can send the same kid to the Ivies and come out with no debt is fair when the kid with a doctor parent sends the kid (who might actually be smarter) who must walk off with a $100,000 loan? This is reasonable thinking? Sorry. A large and growing chunk of affluent America thinks you can keep your version of “fair”.</p>
<p>I believe debrockman posted this about her son in another thread:</p>
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<p>Besides. We can all see the merits of an Ivy League education by taking a long look at Congress.</p>
<p>debrockman- Who says the doctor’s kid is smarter? This is absurd.</p>
<p>YOU are the one who seems so hung up on an Ivy education.</p>
<p>As I posted earlier-- I feel a bit vicitimized by the College tuition (& US tax) system-- charge more to those who are paid more. But heck – we sweated bullets to stay in school, pass our classes and make ends meet.</p>
<p>The feedback is “Well heck – you can afford to pay more”.</p>
<p>Tell that to the people we let go to pay for college-- lawn cutters–(good guy-- sorry…), house cleaner-- I hope someone else hires you, coffee shop, deli, water man, newspaper delivery guy-- sorry, you don’t see me anymore… Trickle down indeed.</p>
<p>Now granted – this isn’t medical bills, or the grocer–thank goodness but it just a level above it. I will complain no more</p>
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Well, that’s a much more rational response, debrockman. Should have stuck with that one.</p>
<p>Mom…I already said that he is unmotivated. There is no point in working for the 4.4. It doesn’t matter. He can’t afford Harvard anyway and he knows it. He has targeted the GPA that will give him merit money at the State School of his choice. Why bother to do more? Only the poor kids and the super rich are going anyway…even though he kills them in every academic competition and on every standardized test. The whole thing is ridiculous and I can’t tell you how many professional parents’ kids see it just the same.</p>
<p>debrockman, your arguments are not making any sort of logical sense. Just by looking at statistics it is clear that your child is not guarenteed a spot in the Ivy Leauge, no child is.</p>
<p>Also, if you are making 200K or less, there is a good chance you could afford Harvard. Have you looked into their FinAid policies? They are all about the middle class. Only pay 10% of your income.</p>
<p>^^I’m a poor kid and I kill the rich ones in every academic competition…I’m a nationally ranked debator even though I don’t have the money to do “circuit” tournies…</p>
<p>I also had the highest PSAT at my school, and I am among the poorest kids there</p>
<p>This is a case by case basis…sometimes the smartest kids are middle class, sometimes they are rich, and guess what? sometimes they are poor…</p>
<p>It sounds like bad excuses for sour grapes</p>
<p>Debrockman, the British Times article you cited refers to only 17 British kids going to Yale, which has over 1300 freshmen, and refers to the attraction of financial aid being available for people making well over $100,000 a year, neither of which support your thesis. Also, do you disagree with the poster’s reference to a 1-10% of income formula for those making $150,000?</p>
<p>Although I think Momofwildchild debunked Debrockman’s thesis convincingly, I do not want to underestimate the financial burdens of college on those making $200,000 a year (especially if that 10% of income max does not apply).</p>
<p>This is not new, of course; although tuition was much less in the 1970’s, so were incomes and middle class families found expensive schools a burden–sometimes an insurmountable one–then, with many choosing state flagships for that reason.</p>
<p>What we have not seen are any studies of whether Ivy League schools are missing out on more top students now than they did then; or admitting more legacies, rich kids or international kids; or lowering their standards; or losing any luster. Just saying it, or mentioning a few kids, does not make it so. That said, I think that kids are advantaged by going to college with a significant number of international students, because with so much business being international these days, the faster you learn about different countries, or have contacts there, the better.</p>
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All of you Tea Bags need to start a college. </p>
<p>Political OT : Sarah Palin University- "You can see the future of American Higher Education from my house. Wait. That’s just the neighbor boy scratching his :eek:. ;)</p>
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uhhhhh…maybe 'cause he’s interested in learning something? The best and brightest students around here work even after they have the grade they need.</p>
<p>debrockman - I am not in the same boat. We pay full fare and I am not complaining. I have always planned on paying full fare for private schools for our kids from K-college. I just think we are missing a full segnment of population at those top tier schools. It’s not a matter of fair or not.</p>
<p>I agree that an income of $200K a year is not sufficient to support 4 years of $50K+ educational expense. No question about that.<br>
I also agree that people in that income bracket (and many other income brackets) are looking long and hard at what is sensible to pay, especially if there is a good in-state public university and/or professional school is a probable goal.
None of this has anything to do with the quality or desirability of the Ivy League schools. That’s a topic for a different day.</p>
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<p>I think we can summarize this entire thread. Although CC is the first time that I’ve ever seen middle-class and wealthy people sound so envious of poorer people. As if living paycheck to paycheck and not knowing if one accident or illness is going to put you on food stamps is somehow glamorous or exciting. If you think being poor in America is so awesome, try spending some time in Lagos. It’ll be like heaven for ya!</p>
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<p>The stats for state schools (and the privates in the 20-50 range) are increasing a ton … however the top 10-15 are not going down. There is a much simplier explanation … there are a ton more highly qualified students now … I went to Cornell 30 years ago and the IVYies have virtually the same number of slots each year as then and now there are almost twice as many college age kids as then and a much higher percentage are going to college … so the net affect is the overall pool of highly qualified students is much much larger … and quality students can be found in much larger numbers at lots of schools.</p>
<p>debrockman- We are neither poor or super-rich and my son is at an Ivy. Many of his friends are from extremely wealthy families, many are not.</p>